Tuck Everlasting - Natalie Babbitt - ★.½

-
AUTHOR: Natalie Babbitt
GENRE: Middle-grade Fiction, Classic
PUBLICATION DATE: 1975
RATING: 1.5 stars.


In a Nutshell: How in the world is this a children’s classic and recommended reading in schools? 🤔


I finally got the chance to read this popular classic. While a part of me sees the appeal of the concept – a family that lives forever, I couldn’t find myself impressed with the storytelling or the characters.

The plot is too focussed on specifying the whats without any of the whys. This leads to a telling-dominated narrative which irks after a while. The characters also appear flat because of this. There are a few plot holes as well, the biggest one connected to how our narrator ends up with the Tucks.

Further, this book has a child kidnapping (leading to Stockholm Syndrome), a stalker, a murder occurring on page, imprisonment, and abetment of a prisoner’s escape – not exactly what I expected in a MG/YA book.

Worst of all: I didn’t expect our ten-year-old lead character to express instant attraction to a seventeen-year-old boy, and the boy actually hoping they would get together in a few years – that’s just icky!

The potential exploration of the moral quandary of living forever versus experiencing life to the fullest the way it is meant to be showed promise, but this isn't really fulfilled by the book as it leaves young readers to do all the heavy thinking and filling-in of the plot gaps by themselves. The descriptions of the 1880s setting are lush.

I found the ending okay. I had been quite worried that it would proceed a certain creepy way, but it doesn’t. Though it still doesn’t offer much closure regarding all the characters, I liked that one character got the life they deserved. And I don’t mean the toad.

The 50th Anniversary Edition contains a foreword by Gabrielle Zevin; this is quite interesting, but it has a couple of spoilers. Better if this is read after you complete the story.

Would I have been more impressed with this book if I had read it as a child? I doubt it. The lack of clear answers would have frustrated me even then, though not as much as current-me was bothered by the inappropriate *romance*.

Basically, I don’t see why this is a beloved children’s classic or why it is recommended reading in schools. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Comments

Post a Comment

Explore more posts from this blog:

The Prophecy - Lisa Zimmermann - ★★

-
Image
AUTHOR: Lisa Zimmermann GENRE: Urban Fantasy PUBLICATION DATE: May 31, 2025 RATING: 2 stars. In a Nutshell: An urban fantasy with a mysterious prophecy being at the centre of the plot. The idea was great but the implementation was a bit basic. The writing style didn’t work for me, nor did the main characters who read younger than their age. Despite the shortcomings, I was still curious enough to know what happens. A good choice for those who care more about the story than the plot/character development. Plot Preview: Sarah, who is in her early thirties, lives a quiet life as a barista in an English town. When she suddenly starts getting strange hallucinations, she worries about her physical and mental health. Little does she know that a mysterious man named William, who is possibly stalking her, is connected to her visions. Soon, Sarah’s safe and predictable world is thrown into chaos, and the only solution can supposedly be found through a strange prophecy. But Sarah knows only half o...
Read More»

The Best Dog in the World: Essays on Love - Edited by Alice Hoffman - ★★★★.¼

-
Image
EDITOR: Alice Hoffman GENRE: Essay Collection PUBLICATION DATE: March 10, 2026 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A collection of essays by various authors about some best dogs in the world. Given the reputation of the contributing authors, it’s not surprising that this is one well-written collection. A love letter to dogs and a must-read for all dog owners and dog lovers. At times, the cover of a book is such that you are tempted to grab it without doing any other due diligence. Look at the cover art of this book! Just see that unbridled bliss on that beautiful dog’s visage! Add to this, that amazing title! How is one to resist?! Thankfully, the book delivers exactly as the cover and the title promise, not making me regret my impulsive decision for even a second. I don’t often read essay collections, but if the theme of the essays is close to my heart, then I am willing to try the book. This book contains fourteen essays celebrating the joys and challenges of their canine companions. ...
Read More»

The Cleansing - Vicky Alvear Shecter - ★★★.¾

-
Image
AUTHOR: Vicky Alvear Shecter GENRE: Historical Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: January 20, 2026 RATING: 3.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A historical fiction set in Ancient Rome and inspired by true events. Gritty and disturbing. Slow but atmospheric. Good character development and build-up to the finale. Slightly repetitive. I’m somewhat undecided on my feelings about the ending. Recommended. Plot Preview: 216 BCE. Sixteen-year-old Mia has been serving as one of the Vestal Virgins for more than a decade already. Though this wasn’t a decision she made by choice, she performs her role with diligence. When she hears of the huge defeat of the Roman Army at the Battle of Cannae, she is sad for the 50000 fallen soldiers, but more than that, she mourns the death of her childhood love Attius in that battle. The priests declare that the only reason the gods abandoned Rome at Cannae was the breaking of the vow of chastity by the youngest Vestal Virgin. Mia knows that it is up to her alone to save her life...
Read More»

The Crane Husband - Kelly Barnhill - ★★★★.½

-
Image
AUTHOR: Kelly Barnhill GENRE: Fantasy-horror. PUBLICATION DATE: February 28, 2023 RATING: 4.5 stars. In a Nutshell: A horror-fantasy with elements of surrealism. Retelling of the Japanese folktale ‘The Crane Wife’. Set in an imagined dystopian near-future. Understated yet mindblowing. Love how it handles the characters, the folktale, and even the dark theme. Suspension of disbelief required. Much recommended, but not to those who steer clear of weird stories. Check the triggers listed below if needed. Plot Preview: A fifteen-year-old girl is forced to be the support of her family after the death of her father, taking care of the household as well as of her six-year-old brother Michael, while her mom, a talented but somewhat oblivious artist, weaves stunning tapestries to pay the bills. The mother randomly brought “guests” home, but none stayed for long. Until now. Her latest guest is a tall crane who seems to have captivated her heart even though the daughter finds him manipulative and...
Read More»

The Women - Sommer Schafer - ★★★.¾

-
Image
AUTHOR: Sommer Schafer GENRE: Short Story Collection PUBLICATION DATE: November 14, 2023 RATING: 3.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A short story collection about ordinary women caught in extraordinary circumstances. A nice range of plots and genres, going from grounded to speculative. Intriguing and unusual storylines. Some were a bit too metaphorical for my brain. But overall, a clever character-driven collection. As the title suggests, this debut collection of seventeen stories focusses on women. Women from varied backgrounds, varied familial situations, and varied age groups. What’s common to them all is that they face a challenge, not necessarily a routine one. How they tackle it forms the crux of each tale. As we know, each person handles difficulties differently. The women in these book fall in the same boat. Some accept their fate, some rebel, some introspect, some opt for wild coping mechanisms. The resultant display covers an eclectic array of human behaviour, all of which provides...
Read More»